Local services provision for vegetable production & marketing

The “Cross-border Transfer of Agricultural Technologies, Institutional and Market Development” project of Concern Universal focuses on improving food security and nutrition for the poorest and most vulnerable in South Asia to contribute towards achieving the Million Development Goal 1. Though the project covers only the two neighboring countries Bangladesh and India, the impact is expected to influence beyond the target due to exposure and inter-country learning in the region. Improved linkages to input and output market actors, better marketing and value chain development are one of the results expected from the project.

Vegetable LSP Md Abdul Salam in his demonstration garden

 
Md. Abdul Salam and Md. Majnu Mian of Chardudiagasa village and their efforts in improved vegetable cultivation and marketing reflect how improved linkages and marketing add value to the lives of the poor and most vulnerable in the area. With his 48 years old Abdul Salam has emerged from a simple village development committee member and way back a beneficiary of another livelihood project, to an efficient local agricultural service provider. Majnu Mian, 41 years old, is the local service provider for marketing and has joined hands with Abdul Salam to form a team that provides excelled services to farmers on agricultural and marketing.

Both Abdul and Majnu received training in their respective fields under the project and are now known for their extensive services in the sector. They work as a team but each have their individual responsibilities in their respective field. Both Abdul Salam and Majnu Mian provide training organized by local NGOs and the local administration with an average remuneration of 200 taka per session on agricultural activities and marketing. Both men and women farmers in the area take guidance and technical support from Abdul in nursery bed preparation, seedling cultivation, broadcasting, harvesting, diseases and pest attacks, exploring the market, marketing strategies, linkages with market actors, etc. They charge affordable fees for their services and are remunerated by farmers as their good work is recognized.  

Marketing exploring and planning has changed the face of the marketing system in their village completely. Instead of selling vegetable individually, farmers now sell their produce as a group in bulk. Under the guidance of the LSPs it was decided to set a particular date and time for selling, inviting different buyers and organize a clean market space. This resulted in saving a lot of time for individual farmers, avoiding theft and damage due to distress sales, minimizing of transportation cost and toll cost and the price farmers nowadays get for their vegetables is better than before.

One of the beneficiary in his egg-plant farm

Apart from these benefits to farmers, both Abdul Salam and Majnu Mian make a decent earning from their services. For example Majnu Mian gets 1 taka per sale of 1 kg of vegetables from each farmer who sells his or her vegetables at the village market place.
 
Both Abdul Salam and Majnu Mian say that the assembled marketing in the village has lots of beneficiaries and they earn about 30,000 Bangladeshi Taka each per season. They do not only provide services in their village but extended their area to another 8 to 10 surrounding villages within each village at least about 200 farming households.

One of the main challenges they have been able to control together and with the help of their community is manipulation in marketing and exploitation of female farmers and vendors by local touts and so-called “muscle power men”. Both feel that at present they are able to support their families in a good manner and at the same time they have earned a lot of respect in the village and surrounding area of which they are proud.